The general field of the invention is the metering of liquid for treating material, and the specific field of the invention is the metering of liquid insecticide and the like for treating seed or the like being transported and/or mixed by conveying means. It is often necessary for farmers to treat seed for storage or before planting so that it will be resistant to insects, fungus, and a variety of other maladies. In the past, while it has been common to provide means for treating seed conveyed by an auger or the like with powdered insecticide, the treatment with liquid insecticide has not been entirely successful, problems of proper adjustment of the amount of liquid dispensed, problems of dispensing in an auger environment, and problems of liquid flow after auger movement has stopped being common.
Typical prior art devices for treating seed or the like with powdered material are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,773,220 and 2,507,820. While these devices are successful in properly dispensing powdered material, they are not adaptable for use with liquid insecticide or the like since liquid flow therethrough would be constant, and would generally result in improper dosage of insecticide with consequent adverse effects or waste. Devices in the general art of liquid dispensing, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,018,924, are not adaptable to function properly in the seed and grain treating environment, means responsive to conveyor movement and means for facilitating positive dispensing of the proper amount of liquid not being provided.
According to the teachings of the present invention, apparatus is provided for metering out the exact amount of liquid desired for treating seed and the like, which liquid is metered out in response to auger or other seed conveying means position, but which will prevent liquid leakage into the auger when the auger is stopped no matter what position it assumes when stopped. Such apparatus preferably comprises a valve normally biased into closed position at an opening from a liquid reservoir to a seed-conveying means. A tripping device which normally does not act on the valve to open it is cocked by engagement of a portion thereof with a portion of the conveying means during a cycle of operation thereof. After cocking, the tripping device is released, and a portion thereof abuts the valve, temporarily opening it and allowing a flow of liquid from the reservoir to the seed or the like within conveying means. The amount the valve is opened -- and thus the amount of liquid that is dispensed during each opening of the valve -- may be precisely determined by adjusting a valve limiting means for limiting the degree of opening thereof.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide means for effectively dispensing a desired amount of liquid to material carried by a conveying means, in response to the movement of said conveying means. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and the appended claims.